USDA-AGRICULTURAL AIR QUALTY TASK FORCE

A. Recent Accomplishments:

    • Made ad hoc distribution of selected materials to subcommittee and/or AAQTF members and Designated Federal Official (DFO) throughout year. Included conference announcements, new technology, policy developments, etc.
    • Secured participation of DFO (Sauerhaft) and representation of AAQTF (Sweeten) in Washington DC briefing of USDA & CAFO industry regarding analysis and recommendations concerning proposed new CAFO Effluent Limitations Guidelines, including air quality considerations; National Center for Manure and Animal Waste Management, Dec. 11, 2001 (a14-state consortium of universities, USDA Fund for Rural America project)
    • Participated as speaker in National Conference on Animal Waste Management, NCSU, Raleigh-Durham, NC. Presented paper, ��� Odor Mitigation for CAFOs: White Paper & Recommendations���, Sweeten et al., Oct., 2001. Other white papers presented included: ���Ammonia Emissions from Animal Feeding Operations���, Arogo, Westerman, Heber, Robarge, Classen.
    • ASAE International Annual Meeting, Sacramento CA���speakers included Parnell and Buser, Re: gross inaccuracy of PM2.5 measurements for agricultural emissions, Jul 2001.���
    • American Society of Agronomy/Crop Science Society of America/Soil Science Society of America Annual Meeting, Charlotte NC���

                                                  i.                   ���Ammonia Emissions from CAFOs���, Sweeten et al., Oct. 2001.

                                                ii.                   ���Atmospheric Ammonia/Ammonium Concentrations in Eastern North Carolina���, Robarge et al., Oct. 2001.

 

B. New Developments & Focus Items:

���        Respond to EPA���s forthcoming new draft and/or final CAFO rules and effluent limitations guidelines to be promulgated by December 15, 2002; specifically, the air quality-related provisions of said rule will be monitored, interpreted and made available to AAQTF members and users.

���        Promote/encourage submittal of technical papers and sessions on technology/issues being addressed by the AAQTF for forthcoming scientific conferences, including:

o              ���Third International Conference on Air Pollution from Agricultural Operations; ASAE conference to be held Oct. 11-14, 2003, Raleigh N C. (proposal due date May 15, 2002);

o              American Meteorological Society (Agriculture and Forest Meteorology Meeting), 2003.

 

���        Promote/encourage participation in professional scientific meetings in 2002 involving agricultural air quality, including:��� ASAE/CIGR International Annual Meeting, Chicago, July, 2002; Air & Waste Management Association, Baltimore, June 23-25, 2002; etc.

���        Review state standards for air quality constituents outside of NAAQS-regulated compounds (e.g. H2S, NH3, odor, VOC, etc.).

 

  1. Critically review the current knowledge-base relating to CAFOs and air quality:
    • Assess research/extension/tech transfer programs & funding needs
    • Review/comment on emission factor development
    • Recommend alternative emission factors
    • Coordinate with AAQTF Emissions Factors Subcommittee
    • Respond to emerging issues
    • Track NAS Study of CAFO emissions.

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A. Recent Accomplishments:

 

    • Continued public e-distribution of 2000 AAQTF report, ���Air Quality Research & Technology Transfer White Paper & Recommendations for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations���, USDA-AAQTF and USDA-NRCS, Washington, D.C. July 19. 123.
    • Served as authors, co-authors or peer reviewers of White Papers on air quality developed by the National Center for Manure and Animal Waste Management (14-state consortium), North Carolina State University, Oct. 2001. Titles included:

                                                  i.                   Sweeten, Jacobson, Heber, et al. ���Odor Mitigation for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations: White Paper & Recommendations������ (54 p); Parnell, peer reviewer.

                                                ii.                   Auvermann, Bottcher, Heber, Meyer, Parnell, Shaw, Worley. ���Particulate Matter Emissions for Animal Feeding Operations: Management and Control Measures���, (40 p.);

                                               iii.                   Arogo, Westerman, Heber, Robarge, Classen. ���Ammonia emissions from Animal Feeding Operations.��� (Sweeten, peer reviewer)

Other air-quality related titles in the series included:

                                              iv.                   Jacobson, et al. ���Site Selection of Animal Operations Using Air Quality Criteria���.

                                                v.                   Bicudo, et al. Air Quality & Emissions from Livestock & Poultry Production/Waste Management Systems���.

                                              vi.                   Schiffman, Auvermann, Bottcher. ���Health Effects of Aerial Emissions from Animal Production & Waste Management Systems���.

 

 

B. New Developments & Focus Items:

  • Develop an expert group on modeling dispersion from distributed ground-level area sources (GLAS); include stability, topographic effects, physical properties, etc.
  • Review data outputs from the AAQTF Emissions Factors Subcommittee and jointly recommend research priorities to AAQTF Research Committee and other groups or agencies (USDA-CSREES & USDA-ARS) to fill obvious gaps.

 

  1. Promote the activities of the AAQTF with regard to CAFOs and air quality:
    • Review new or proposed state/federal policies
    • Promote interaction between USDA & EPA
    • Encourage multimedia approach to programs/policies
    • Ensure joint policies for air and water quality technologies, as appropriate
    • Solicit additional targeted funding levels, USDA & EPA.

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A. Recent Accomplishments:

 

    • AAQTF representatives (Sweeten & Sauerhaft) participated in briefings for USDA and EPA officials in Washington, D.C. of the National Center for Manure and Animal Waste Management concerning the OW���s proposed new CAFO rules and effluent limitations guidelines.��� Presentation briefs included handling of Air Quality aspects, including rationale, technology, and alternatives and Notice of Data Availability. (Dec. 11-12, 2001).
    • Obtained new funding for USDA-CSREES Special Research Projects including:������

                                                  i.                   Texas ($640,000) for cattle feedlot and dairy emissions (includes: WTAMU, TAMU, USDA-ARS, & KSU); and

                                                ii.                   California ($400,000) for dairy emissions (UC-Davis & TAMU).

    • USDA-CSREES IFAFS grants (FTY01) dealing with air quality have been funded���includes:

                                                  i.                   University of Minnesota,��� $ 2.17 million to 6-state consortium. UMN, UIL, Purdue, ISU, NCSU, TAMU.��� Emissions from swine confinement buildings.

                                                ii.                   Texas A & M University, TAES-Amarillo���Feedlot nutrition management. ~$ 80,000 of $ 300,000 grant for ammonia emissions control.

���        USDA-ARS, Bushland TX���Section 224 funding (~$1,000,000 FY01), feedlot nutrition, including (<$ 100,000) for development of ration controls to effect reduced ammonia emissions.

 

B. New Developments & Focus Items:

���        Implementation of NC Attorney General/Smithfield Foods Agreement includes AAQTF members serving in these capacities to develop environmentally superior technologies, via NCSU Animal & Poultry Waste management Center:

o              Technology Review Panel���J. M. Sweeten

o              Technology evaluation-V. Aneja, PI and Program Scientist���Project OPEN (Odor, Pathogens, and Emissions of Nitrogen). Also involves W. Robarge and others.

 

���        Implementation of MO Attorney General/Premium Standard Farms Agreement���includes AAQTF member (Sweeten) serving on Technology Review Team.

���        Continue to review and interpret the EPA/Office of Water���s 2002 Effluent Limitations Guidelines vis a vis air quality provisions, as appropriate.

 

  1. Enhance outreach activities of AAQTF with regard to CAFOs and air quality:
    • Cost-effective abatement measures
    • Funding needs
    • Support national groups in identifying R&D/tech transfer needs/opportunities.

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A. Recent Accomplishments:

 

  • AAQTF members were active in helping develop guidelines and proposal for the National Academy of Sciences study of air emissions from CAFOs.
  • Three (3) AAQTF members (Flocchini, Robarge, Parnell) were appointed to NAS Panel, ���Air Emissions from Livestock Feeding Operations���.
  • AAQTF member Dr. Tommy Coleman served as Panel Chair for the USDA-ARS National Air Quality Program (NP 203) Review, December 4-5, 2001, Beltsville, MD.
  • Presentations included:��� ���Science Behind Air Quality���, J.M. Sweeten, at National Pork Board���s Environmental Symposium, Kansas City, MO, Nov. 13-14, 2001.

 

B. New Developments & Focus Items:

 

  • Assist and support the work of the NAS panel by providing documents and data sources to the panel members and supporting staff. e.g.
    • Obtained approval for National Center for Manure and Animal Waste Management white paper series (air quality related), approved to sent on e-mail to NAS panel staff, January 16, 2002.
    • Emissions factor research data as available.

 

  • Assist the USDA-CSREES Fund for Rural America���s National Center for Manure and Animal Waste Management as well as other funding sources in targeting research programs/projects; and encourage and facilitate broad peer review of air-quality white papers there from.